I must humbly correct myself on my last review of this gun. Since then it has been a nightmare experience of one cylinder lockup and binding after another. It even once got stuck somehow with the cylinder release knob jamming hslf way between the locked and open position with the trigger fully back and the hammer halfway cocked. I think there seems to be some sort of coarseness or machining problem with this series of revolvers. I heard of the horror stories of Taurus revolvers and I now personally have my own to tell. If maybe 80% reliability is ok for you to stop a charging bear then I suppose its ok but good luck. I wish I would have originally purchased the ss Ruger Super Blackhawk instead. I finally threw up my hands, pawned my dreadful lemon and used some of the money for a Kel Tec PF-9 for a lighter concealed carry piece I had been needing. A Ruger or S&W is definitely worth the extra saving of money if you are shopping for a large caliber revolver.

By
Erikkson from
Tx

A Mans Gun!!,
February 04, 2013

Overall I am very impressed with this gun. The first time I took it to the range, I had serious lockup of the cylinder but I figured it was just new and not quite broken in. I did a much more thorough cleaning and the second time on the range no problems. For a guy on the more thinner side and more used to the typical kick from my numberous 9mms, 40's and 357 magnums, what a difference!! This thing is a beast in terms of sheer power!! The recoil is quite substantial but very controllable. I credit the ported barrel for that. This is the most powerful handgun round for round that I own right now and to me it is equivalent in power to many rifles! This thing paired up with either 44mag or 44spcl personal defense rounds would drop any home attacker or invader in their tracks no problem! I would hate to be on the receiving end of this monster! You could ban all the "evil assault rifles" and semi autos you want, this thing with a couple of good speed loaders will still ruin any punks day!! Good gun but not for beginners.

By
Erikkson from
El Paso TX

Still PERFECT!!!!!,
November 09, 2012

I wanted to add to my review now that I have a lot more rounds spent with it. I have shot a lot more rounds through it experienced no noticeable gaps or looseness. All rounds have been 305 grain Bear Loads. This is a fairly heavy round and has made no apparent effects on the gun. It was accurate out of the box and remains acurate. I expected it to get a little "broken in", but it has not. I REALLY like this gun- easy to shoot for the caliber, fairly light kick, and just a plain reliable gun. Well worth the money!

By
Brando from
Ogden, UT

I really like this gun,
June 08, 2012

I recently purchased the last one of these in stock. I just didn;t have the cash for a S&W or a Ruger, which is what I was looking for. I was a bit concerned about not having the double lock, but was assured this gun was sound in design. I read and watched a lot of reviews from people having put thousands of rounds through this gun and I needed a .44 for bear country in Montana. I am nothing short of thrilled with this gun. I shot numerous rounds of 305 grain bear loads manufactured by a company in MT. Not a single misfire, not a hiccup (sp?), simply perfect! I was thinking this would be a rough gun to shoot too. Nope, actually pretty smooth. I'm amazed at the powerful rounds this gun handled without kicking much. This is the second Taurus I've bought. The other is a semi-auto .40 PT140 Millenium Pro. I usually stick to the "better" brands, but both have been flawless. I've got to hand it to Taurus even though I was skeptical at first.

By
B. Holley from
Ogden, Utah

A durable 44 - good for carrying in the woods,
November 16, 2010

I purchased this handgun primarily for personal protection while in the back country. It has served well in that capacity.
Pros: heavy steel construction so it can safely handle hot loads (such as Garrett hammerheads) - a necessity if you plan on using the firearm for protection against larger game; durable stainless finish; ported barrel to reduce recoil (and consequently allow quicker follow up shots).
Cons: relatively heavy (about 5 pounds when loaded); stiff double action trigger pull.
In all respects, this has proven to be a quality firearm. I believe that Taurus had discontinued this particular model, but I would expect that the model 444 ("Raging Bull") is of similar quality.

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